By the time the instructor wraps up the class, I’m covered in a fine layer of sweat, my mind feeling a bit clearer.
“You know, I’m glad you forced me to come today,” I say as I take a long pull of water from my bottle.
“You and me both. Now, how exactly was I responsible for you being late? You hadplentyof time when I texted you.”
“Well, I would have had plenty of time if Aiden hadn’t stopped me to tell me he’d do it.”
Mae’s brows connect. “He’d do what?”
“Whatyousuggested the other day.” I give her a pointed look.
That furrow deepens before her mouth falls open when it finally hits her. “No way. Really? He told you he’d fa?—”
I press my hand against her mouth to stop her from finishing. “Not everybody has to know.”
Talk about embarrassing. I can already hear the gossip about poor Jessica Richards needing to pretend to date a guy to get rid of her ex. It might be true, but I could totally do without the whole world knowing.
“Fine,” she mumbles against my palm, and pushes my hand away. “So?”
“So what?”
“So, did you take him up on it? Don’t hold out on me now!”
I just stare at her, incredulous. “He’s my colleague! No, of course I didn’t take him up on it.”
“Well, I guess I can see what you mean,” Mae agrees reluctantly. “I always thought the guy had a crush on you, and?—”
Wait, what?
“What are you talking about?”
Mae quirks her brow at me. “Aiden, of course. I can see how things would get awkward during the lunch break after breaking it off.”
I shake my head. “You’re?—”
The sound of leather hitting the flesh makes our heads snap up. All the air rushes out of my lungs as my eyes connect with a familiar brown gaze.
And he looks pissed.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
MATTHEW
“So what are you going to do about the dog?” I ask Nico as he pushes the door to the gym open. I step inside, my body relaxing instantly as the familiar sounds and scents surround me. The grunts, sweat, and buzzing of the machines. The smell of antiseptic and the clash of metal against metal, or even leather connecting with leather. It’s all familiar to me. The gym is one of the places where I’ve always been able to find some semblance of peace, some semblance of control.
Nico runs his hand over his face. “I don’t know. Jenkins is all for it, but he said if I want to do it, I have to figure it out on my own.”
“Why am I not surprised?”
Typical Jenkins.
But you can bet your ass that if Nico manages to find a way to get the dog for the department, or even better yet, if the dog is successful at his job, the asshole will claim him as his own without blinking an eye.
“Look, there’s the owner. Let me?—”
The guy turns around, his eyes narrowing on us when he spots us. He nods at the guy he was talking to and then walks toward us.
“Rookie, this is?—”
